Tickets, please

During any other summer, getting MSU football student vouchers in the mail is one of the reminders that fall - and the beginning of the next school year - is coming.

Provost, board secretary start posts today

Two MSU administrators officially begin their new roles with the university today. Kim Wilcox becomes MSU's new provost and Alison Barber officially takes over duties as the new secretary of the Board of Trustees and executive assistant to the president.

CAFTA raises worry about Mich. jobs

President Bush's proposed Central America Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA, passed through Congress Thursday by only two votes, expanding trade into six Latin American countries. Many Michigan legislators are concerned the newly passed agreement will mean fewer jobs in Michigan - much like the 24,000 Michigan jobs lost as a result of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, said Rep.

MIDDAY UPDATE: 2000 MSU graduate dies in Iraq

A 28-year-old MSU alumnus died while serving in Iraq on Wednesday. Spec. Adrian J. Butler was killed while riding in a vehicle after a bomb exploded near it, his mother said. The 2000 graduate entered the military with the intent of joining the FBI, his mother Peggy Donaldson said.

Bible says all sin is equal in God's eyes

As I read this ongoing debate about homosexuality and Christianity, I feel that we are inching closer and closer to the truth.

Officers cleared of misconduct in investigations

Some of the five investigations into officer actions during the April 2-3 disturbances conducted by the East Lansing Police Department were inconclusive, while others cleared certain officers of any wrongdoing, police documents stated. Of the seven agencies patrolling that evening, only East Lansing police officers had identification numbers on their helmets.

Drug decision

State House Democrats planned to announce legislation that would allow Michiganians to buy about 150 brand-name drugs from Canada and other countries at significantly lower prices than in the United States. The legislation would aim to allow Michigan to take part in the I-SaveRx program, which is limited to brand-name drugs for treating chronic and long-term conditions.

State asks for recall of explicit game

Legislators announced Wednesday that they will ask the manufacturer of "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" to recall the video game and will ask state retailers to take it off their shelves.

Buddhists celebrate first teaching

Saturday was the start of the Buddhist celebration Asalha Puja and the Rains Retreat, and many gathered at a local monastery to celebrate its commencement with meditation and ethnic food. Ajahn Khemasanto, the abbot at Dhammasala Forest Monastery, 14780 Beardslee Road in Perry, said the retreat is a time for monks to meditate. "This a special time for monks to take on special practices and be more strict in meditation," he said.

Friends celebrate late student's life

A memorial service for Jiang Wei Lim will be held at 4 p.m. today in the McDonel Hall Kiva. Tyler DeBruler, Lim's former roommate and friend, said some people who knew him well will make presentations, and a spiritual leader will be present as well. "(We're) going to put up a couple of photos and tell stories about him and basically just tell how loved he was, when it comes right down to it," he said. Lim, a 20-year-old computer science and engineering senior and international student, was spending the weekend at a friend's home when he drowned last weekend in a swimming accident in Lake Michigan.

British gov't should try to understand deeper issues behind attacks

As horrific and paralyzing as the July 7 and 21 bombings are for London commuters, the British government seems to be more concerned about showing resilience than understanding why their largest city is being bombed. As reported by Sarah Lyall in the July 27 edition of The New York Times, "Prime Minister Tony Blair promised on Tuesday not to 'give one inch' on British policies in the Middle East, and he said Britain's three main political parties were moving closer to introducing stricter anti-terrorism laws for Parliament to consider in the fall." Rather than not giving an inch, maybe Blair should try to understand these terrorist acts and the people behind them instead of discounting them as senseless acts of destruction.

New ticket system in place

This year, instead of receiving football tickets by mail or picking them up at Jenison Field House, student season tickets are now contained on MSU student ID cards. Senior associate athletics director Mark Hollis said this is only changing the process for students to get into football games. "Please understand, there is no change in the policy for admission into the games," Hollis said via e-mail Tuesday.

Police pinpoint identity of human remains found in Red Cedar River

The two bags of human remains discovered in the Red Cedar River in June were identified by local law-enforcement agencies Tuesday as those of 28-year-old Charlotte resident Leon W.

Police briefs 07/28/05

Lucas-Perry, Grantham finish Big Ten team tour

MSU junior guard Victoria Lucas-Perry and junior center Katrina Grantham each scored six points in the fifth and final game of the Big Ten Foreign Tour Team's trip to Europe. The squad finished with a 5-0 record, after a 110-40 rout against Luxembourg Musel Pikes in Remich, Luxembourg, on Monday night. Lucas-Perry led the Big Ten team in rebounding for the tour with an average 4.8 rebounds per game, while averaging 8.2 points and 2.2 assists per game.

Granholm promotes technology on trip

Lansing - Gov. Jennifer Granholm and presidents of some of the state's universities focused on biosciences Wednesday as the governor's five-day economic development mission to Japan continued. The Michigan delegation met at a seminar in Osaka with researchers and representatives of about 70 companies that specialize in pharmacology, oncology and various medical treatments, Granholm's spokeswoman Liz Boyd said. MSU President Lou Anna K.

Yoakam brings back rock, twang with 16th release

There's a little bit of truth to that joke about country music. You know the one: What do you get when you play a country song backward? Um … I don't know.

Party spot

The city of East Lansing asserts the Cedar Village area is a poor place for students to gather after NCAA Tournament basketball games because it's congested and hard to effectively police.

Mraz's sophomore album, 'Mr. A-Z,' more mature, eclectic

It's been three years since Virginia-native Jason Mraz put out his freshman CD, "Waiting for My Rocket to Come." Now with his recently released sophomore album, "Mr. A-Z," Mraz's usual melodic sound is still prominent throughout the album.

Candidates gear up for council race

The City Council's filing deadline for the November election candidates is two weeks away, and council members are gearing up for the political battle. East Lansing Councilmembers Vic Loomis and Bill Sharp are up for re-election.